Primer for internal-combustion engines



H. D. WATERHOUSE.' PRIMER lFOR IN'I'ERNI. COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLlcAlNf lLED ozc.l7, 1911.

Patented July 4,1922. l

Figi 8, la l l I 2o Inventor. Harold D. V\/ 1'fe1`honge-1 fA ,23 bww-MmmHAROLD D. WATERHOUSE, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO WALTER S. CRANE, JOSHUA CRANE, AND FRANK V. STONETRSTEES.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July it,

Application led December 17, 1917. Serial No. 207,592.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, HAROLD D. WATER- HoUsn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residino` at lVollaston, city of vQuincy, county of orfolk, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Primers forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in primers for internalcombustion engines, and more particularly, though not exclusively, to aprimer adapted to supply to the intakeV manifold of an engine Va veryline mist or vapor of cai'bureted hydrocarbon to facilitate stai'tingthe engine.

ln the drawings in which I have shown an illustrative embodiment of apreferred form of my invention Fig. l is a side elevation of an internalcombustion engine having a preferred form of rimer applied thereto;

igs. i2 and 3 are longitudinal central secA tions through the preferredforni of primer, showing parts of different relative positions morefully described hereafter; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the y ine 1%*4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, l have shown an internal combustion engine lhaving any usual or known construction, said engine being equipped withVa carburetor 2 to which gasoline is supplied through a gasoline supplypipe 3, and also having an intakefpipe 4 leading from the carburetor andthrough which the combustible charge from the carburetor is delivered tothe engine. rFliese elements may `have any suitable or knownconstruction. The limproved primer is adapted to be applied to theintake pipe 4L oi' to any portion of the intake passage between thethrottle of the carburetor 2 and the inlet ports of the engine, and isconstructed to de liver into the intake passage a readily ig nitable,completely vaporized priming charge v whenever it is desired to primethe engine,

rlhe primer is adapted for use in connection with any internalcombustion engine whether it burns gasoline or any other fuel orcombination of fuels which can be used in internal combustion engines. Iwill, however, for

convenience refer to the fuel as gasoline, al

device to an engine which burns gasoline.

The preferred form of primer preferably comprises a valve device havingan air passage therein adapted to communicate with the intake pipe, saidpassage preferablyA being contracted in cross-section at some poition ofits length, and preferably being provided with a duct or portcommunicating with a source of gasoline supply preferably leading intothe passage at its contracted portion. l preferably provide meanswhereby both the passage and the duct may be opened and closed. If theengine is cranked while the passage and duct are opened a current of airwill be drawn through the passage into the intake pipe by the suctionproduced in the engine.

The gasoline supply line to the primer is preferablv connected to themain gasoline supply of the engine, and I prefei to locate the primer insuch position that gasoline will enter the primer if the valve is openedwhether or not the engine is being cranked, thus providing a` gasolinesupply to the primer independent of engine suction. Thus, if used inconnection with a. gravity gasoline feed system, l preferably locate theprimer at such heiOht that gasoline will flow to the primer. I cothisbecause it is much easier and quicker for the engine suction toraise a mixture of air and liquid fuel than for the engine to raise bysuction a column of liquid fuel unmixed with air. The shape of thepassage is preferably such that the movement of the air through thecontracted portion will be a very rapid or violent one which willoperate to completely atomize and vaporize the gasoline, thus producinga readily ignitable fuel charge.

rlhe valve device may be constructed in various ways and yet embo dy theabove principle of operation. The preferred form of valve device shownin the drawings coin prisesa valve casing 5 which may be secureddirectly to the intake pipe d of the internal combustion engine, andwhich is provided with a delivery port 6 leading into the intake pipe 4,and with an air inlet port 7. The preferred form of valve also providesa nozzle 8 having a duct 9 therethrough which communicates with agasoline supply pipe 10 that leads to any suitable source of gasolinesupply, but which is preferably connected to the gasoline pipe 3 whichsupplies gasoline `to the carburetor 2, as shown in F 1. rThe valvecasing 5 is provided With a chamber 11 in which is received a plug orvalve member 12, said plug preferably being adapted to be movedlongitudinally of 'the chamber from the position shown in Fig. 2 to thatshoivn in Fig. 3. This valve member is provided withl a transversepassage 13 Which is adapted to connect the inlet port 7 and dischargeport 6 When the valve device'is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3.The plug or valve 12 is provided in one end With a recess 111 in whichthe `nozzle 8 is received, and said nozzle is of such length that whenthe valve or plug 12 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 ltherebyto bring the transverse port 13 into communieation with the ports 6 and7, the end or tip of the nozzle 8 Will be situated approximately in linewith the vvall of the port 13, so that the duct 9 communicates With theport.

Seated in the inner end ot the recess 14 is a plug or valve seat 15 or"some relatively soft material such as liber, brass, copper, etc., whichis adapted to seat against the end of the nozzleS and thereby close theduct 9 when the valve member 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. 1nthis positionV of the valve member, the port 13 is out of line with theports 6 and 7.

rlhe ports 6, 13 and 7 constitute an air passage through which air maybedraivn into the intake passage leading from the carburetor A'to theinlet ports ot the engine when the valve member is in the position shownin Fig. 3, and the portion 13 of said passage is preferably ot lesscross-sectional area than the portionsG and 7. The plugor valve member12 preferably constitutes means by which this airY passagemay be openedand closed, the air passage being closed when the valve member is in theposition shown in Fig. 2 and being opened when the valve member is intheposition shown in Fig. 3, The nozzle 8 is so arranged that when thevalve member 12 is in position to close the air passage,y the gasolinesupply duct will also be closed by the plug 15 which seats against theend of the nozzle, WhileV .when the valve member 12 is moved to ope theair passage, the gasoline4 supply duct is also open and communicateswith the air passage at-its 'contracted portion 13.

VThe valve member`12 is acted upon by a suitable spring 16 which tendsnormally to maintain it inposition to close the'air passage and gasolineduct. Said valve member is provided with a stem 17 which projectsvthrough the casing 5 and to which is connected a cord or other flexibleconnection 1S leading to a knob or handle 19 which may be situated inany convenient position. In

the case of an internal combustion engine for an automobile., the cord18 Will be preferably carried to the dash-board or instrument-board 2Oof the automobile, so that the pull 19 can be readily actuated by theoperator.

When itis desired-to prime the engine, the valvey member 12 is pulledinto the position shownin Fig. 3 against the action of the spring 16,thereby opening both the air passage and the gasoline duct 9. 'Vhen theengine is cranked, the suction produced therebyl will draw air throughthe air passage into the intake pipe and, because the air passage iscontracted at the portion 13, the movement of the air current throughthis contracted portion ivill be a rapid or violent one. This movementoi' the air creates considerable suction at Athe end of the duct 9 whichcauses gasoline to be drawn into the air passage, and because of theviolent and rapid movement of the air through the contracted portion 13,the liquid gasoline thus delivered to the intake passage is completelybroken up into a' line mist or vapor which becomes thoroughly commingledwith the air and thus produces a readily ignitable mixture. The gasolineduct is much smaller in cross-section than the contracted portion of theair passage, and the size of the duet and air passages are soproportioned as to produce a mixture having the Vproper proportions ofair and gasoline vapor to produce anV easily ignitable charge.

After the engine has started, the. valve member or plug 12V is allowedto return to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby closing both the airpassage and the gasoline supply duet. The engine will then receive itsexplosive charges from the carburetor in usual manner. Y

e The valve member 12 is held from turning .movement in the chamber 11by some suitable means. In the construction shown the stem 17 of theplug is non-circular and eX- tends through aV non-circular Vopening inthe end ot' the easing 5. V

The inlet port 7 of the air passage as herein shown is Vpreferablyprovided With an inwardly-opening check valve .21 which is acted upon bya spring 22 that normally holds it to its seat. This check valve allowsthe air to be freely drawn into the air pas'- sage, but prevents therair or charge from being forced out through the air passage it theengine Vhas a slight backward movement during the cranking operation.

inthe preferred form of my invention, the 'port 6 is. preferably closedafter the engine has started., and so lone as it is running in Vorder toprevent air from being drawn in through said port, and I may render theclosure particularly tight by inioviding` the plug 12 with Ya splitresilient band 23 preterably otrcork, which tits closely the WallsV llOof the chamber 11. The band 23 is of such size and is so situated thatWhen the plug 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, said bandcompletely covers and thereby closes the port 6. This band is confinedbetween an annular shoulder 24C formed on the plug 12 and a Washer 25against which the spring 16 acts.

If the plug 12 is made to lit the chamber 11 tightly enough, it may notbe necessary to use the band 23. The latter, however, acts somewhat inthe nature of a piston ring and provides for producing a tighter fit.This band 28 is preferably held in proper position by means of a pin 26carried by the plug 12 and extending into an opening 27 formed in theband.

The device can be readily installed on any internal combustion engine,and is extremely effective in delivering to the engine a priming chargehaving the proper proportions of air and gasoline and also having thegasoline in completely vaporized form so that the charge is readilyignitable. An internal combustion engine equipped with this device canbe readily started When cold Without the necessity of continualcranking.

Thile I have shown and described a preferred form of one embodiment ofmy invention, it will be understood that major changes involvingomission, alteration, substitution, and reversal of parts, and evenchanges in mode of operation, may be made Without departing from thescope of my invention, which is best defined in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve devicehaving an air passage which is contracted at some portion of its lengthand is adapted to be registered by operator controlled means With theintake pipe of the engine, a gasoline supply duct Which is arranged tocommunicate with said contracted portion, said valve device constitutingmeans to open and close said passage and duct.

2. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casinghaving an air inlet port and a discharge port adapted to communicateWith the intake passage of said engine, a valve member movably mountedin said casing and having therein a port which is adapted to be broughtinto and out of register simultaneously with both the ports of thecasing, said casing being pro` vided with a gasoline supply ductarranged to have communication With the port in the valve member whenthe latter communicates With the ports in the casing, said valve memberhaving provision for closing said duct only when the port therein is outof register With the ports in the casing, and means for limitingmovement of the valve Within the casing so that it moves only betweenthe position in which the ports and duct are closed and the position inwhich the ports and duct are open.

3. 1n a primer for internal combustion engines, the combination of avalve devicehaving an air passage which is contracted at some portion ofits length to form substantially a Venturi passage and whichcommunicates With the intake passage of the internal combustion engine,a relatively small fuel supply duct adapted to open adjacent thecontracted portion of said passage and connected to a source of fuelsupply, and a movable member adapted in one position to close both saidair passage and said duct and in another position to open said airpassage and said duct.

4. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casinghaving an air inlet port, a discharge port and a nozzle through whichgasoline is delivered to the casing, a valve member mounted in saidcasing and provided With a port, said valve member being movable fromclosed position in Which the port therein is out of register With theinlet and discharge ports into open position in which the port thereinis in register With said inlet and discharge ports, said valve memberalso having a recess to receive said nozzle and to close the nozzle whenthe valve member is in closed position, said recess communicating withthe port in the valve member.

5. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casing 5,a valve member 12 mounted in the valve casing, said valve member beingprovided with a Venturi passage 13 and a recess 14, and a nozzle 8received Within the recess When the valve member is in closed or cut-olfposition and adapted to deliver liquid fuel to the air drawn through theVenturi passage 13 when the valve member is in open position.

6. A priming apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, incombination, a carburetting device for delivering carburetted air to theintake passage of the engine independently of the main carburetor of theengine, said device including` a passage for the admission of air to theintake manifold of the engine, which passage has a restricted portion ofinvariable dimensions, a more restricted gasoline supply ductdischarging fuel adjacent the restricted portion of the passage, andmeans for opening and closing said duct.

7. A priming apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising, incombination, a carbureting device for delivering carbureted air to theintake passage of the engine, independently of the main carburetor ofthe engine, said device including a restricted passage for the admissionof engine suction-actuated air to the intake passage of the engine, amore restricted gasoline supply duet entering at the side o'saidrestricted passage, and means for co-ordinately controlling the openingand Closing of said duet and said passage.

8. In a primer for internal combustion engines, in combination, a bodyincluding a valve ehalnber having a valve slidable therein, an airpassage'provided in the body at right 'angles to the Valve chamber andopening into the chamber, a cheek Valve adapted to eloseautomatioallythe inlet end of the,

air passage, a liquid fuel duct opening into the air passage in such'position that it is in the path of va current of air passing throughsaid passage, said valve in one position Closing both the passage andthe duet and in another position permitting free flow of air through thebody.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.v

HAROLD WATERHOUSE.

